Vietnam to host English League Cup draw

LONDON: Vietnam will stage the draw for the first round of next season's English League Cup on Friday.

The League Cup, won by Manchester City in February, is sponsored by Thai energy drinks firm Carabao and two rounds of last year's tournament were also drawn in Asia in Bangkok and Beijing.

Organisers will hope the latest overseas draw fares better than the first in Thailand, which was marred by embarrassing technical glitches.

An on-screen graphic showed Charlton playing twice and other clubs were given the wrong opponents before the issues were corrected.

Former Liverpool and Real Madrid star Steve McManaman, ex-Manchester United striker Louis Saha and former Chelsea captain Dennis Wise will conduct Friday's first round draw in Ho Chi Minh City.

Seventy Football League clubs will feature in the draw, which will see teams drawn in northern and southern sections for ties to be played in the week commencing August 13.

"A principle aim of our partnership with Carabao has always been to promote the competition internationally, taking high-profile activities such as the competition draws overseas to support the EFL's international growth strategy and raise awareness of the competition in Carabao's key territories," EFL chief executive Shaun Harvey said on Monday. 

"There is no requirement for us to take draws overseas, but there is an absolute commitment to building the value of our competition outside the UK and the market in Vietnam should help the EFL and Carabao meet our shared ambitions."